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"Stokes was arrested in the early hours of Monday morning, 25 September, following an incident in Bristol. He was held overnight and released under investigation - without charge - late on Monday and will not join the team in London.

"Hales, who was with Stokes on Sunday night, did not train this morning and has returned voluntarily to Bristol today to help police with their enquiries."

Ben Stokes's Ashes hopes were in the balance after England suspended him from international matches "until further notice" after a video emerged apparently showing him fighting outside a nightclub.

Test vice-captain Stokes was included in England's Ashes squad announced Wednesday, despite reportedly injuring his hand in the incident that led to his arrest on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm.

The 26-year-old Durham all-rounder was released without charge on Monday but remains under investigation.

The Sun newspaper published the footage from outside a nightclub in the southwest city of Bristol late on Wednesday.

Opening batsman Alex Hales, who was with Stokes on Sunday after playing alongside him during a win over West Indies in the third one-day international in Bristol, has also been suspended from England international selection.

"Ben Stokes and Alex Hales will not be considered for selection for England international matches until further notice," said an England and Wales Cricket Board statement.

"Each remains on full pay pending further ECB investigation and the ongoing police investigation into an incident in Bristol in the early hours of Monday 25 September.

"Andrew Strauss, director of England cricket, will today refer the internal disciplinary procedure for these two players to the Cricket Discipline Commission, chaired by Tim O'Gorman."

The statement added: "These decisions, fully supported by ECB chairman Colin Graves, were made following the release of footage viewed by ECB for the first time on Wednesday night."

VIDEO Video has emerged of England cricket star Ben Stokes' street brawl that saw him end up with a suspected broken finger. Source: The SunEnglish media personality had earlier tweeted that he heard from sources that Stokes had been defending 'two gay guys' who were being verbaly abused by the two other mwn in the video.

“I’m hearing that Ben Stokes intervened to help two gay guys who were being abused by yobs, one of whom was armed with a bottle” Morgan posted on Twitter.

“Stokes has told friends he was incensed by the homophobic taunts, then saw the bottle being raised and decided to defend himself.

“Stokes obviously regrets what happened, but apparently his view is: ‘They started it, I finished it. I was protecting those guys’.

“Police are aware of Stokes’ version of events and are now trying to find the two gay men to corroborate what he’s said.

“Stokes has told friends: ‘The guy had a bottle in his hand and was threatening us. Was I supposed to wait until he smashed it in my face?

“People can obviously make up their own minds about the Stokes video, but his defence certainly raises new questions.”

Neither Hales, who returned voluntarily to Bristol on Tuesday to give further evidence to police about the incident, nor Stokes were selected for Wednesday's six-run win over West Indies in the fourth one-day international at The Oval that gave England an unbeatable 3-0 series lead.

Stokes's finger injury may well have meant he was physically unfit for selection in any case.

England have one more international fixture -- the fifth ODI against West Indies in Southampton on Friday -- before they are due to travel to Australia on October 28.

Dawid Malan has been added as cover to the squad for the Southampton match after Hales was ruled out.

Ashes-holders England's next international fixture will be the first Test against Australia in Brisbane commencing on November 23.

Hales, who last played Test cricket over a year ago, was not included in the Ashes squad.

Ben Stokes mocks disabled teen

VIDEO England cricket player Ben Stokes is in even more strife after video emerged of him mocking the 15-year-old disabled son of UK celebrity Katie Price. Source: ExpressMeanwhile England coach Trevor Bayliss said Thursday that events of the past few days had been one of the toughest challenges of a career that saw the 54-year-old Australian caught up in a deadly 2009 terror attack on a team bus in Lahore while coaching Sri Lanka.

"It's right up -- it's probably in the top two (in my career), I would have thought," said Bayliss. "It's very difficult for everyone involved.

"It's something that obviously we didn't want to go through, and hope we don't go through again," added Bayliss, who had previously spoken of his disappointment that Stokes had been out as late as 2:35 am (0135 GMT), when police were called to the incident, while defending the decision to retain the "cricket leader" as vice-captain of the Test side.

Stokes, potentially just one on-field offence away from a Test ban under the International Cricket Council's code of conduct, is seen as vital to England's chances of retaining the Ashes, with former England captain Michael Vaughan, saying: "I don't think England can win in Australia without Ben Stokes."

This is not the first time Stokes has been involved in a controversial off-field incident.

In 2011 he was arrested and later cautioned for obstructing police on a pre-Christmas night out.

And in February 2013 he was sent home from an England A team tour of Australia for flouting rules on late-night drinking.

In June last year Stokes was fined after he was caught speeding for a fourth time and warned a further offence could lead to a prison sentence.

Stokes told The Times in an interview published on Saturday he enjoyed a couple of beers after stumps.

"We're grown men, go out for dinner, have a few pints," he said. "I'm 26, not 14. I don't have to drink Diet Cokes with dinner."

raja wrote:Nothing will happen.He'll be there to torment Australia for the Ashes.I think this might actually spur him on even more.

If this was a 1st offence i might agree but if he is charged the there is no way the ECB can overturn the indefinate ban they have already imposed.The ECB have already tired their own hands in this case. If he is cleared by the police then the ban will be lifted if he is charged and faces criminal proceedings it would be unlikely he would get a visa to enter Australia.We stopped taking British convicts in the 1860s by the way

raja wrote:Nothing will happen.He'll be there to torment Australia for the Ashes.I think this might actually spur him on even more.

If this was a 1st offence i might agree but if he is charged the there is no way the ECB can overturn the indefinate ban they have already imposed.The ECB have already tired their own hands in this case. If he is cleared by the police then the ban will be lifted if he is charged and faces criminal proceedings it would be unlikely he would get a visa to enter Australia.We stopped taking British convicts in the 1860s by the way

He's already had a caution for assault according to the news. Not really suitable to give him another for a similar offence so soon. So it will be charged or nothing.

if he was defending himself or someone else he question will be whether he went over the top of what common law says is proportionate force on the circumstances.

whats the one punch laws in England that knockout punch had the potential to kill the victim the way he fell and hit his head on the road, very lucky it didn't do serious damage.. in Australia your looking at 10+ years jail now for a punch that kills someone, whats it in England?

Last edited by Verity on Sun Oct 01, 2017 7:27 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Ian Chappell is saying the same thing - that, without Stokes, England will lose the Ashes.I disagree.England are a powerhouse, with or without Stokes.The difference with or without him is whether it will be 5-0 or 4-0 for England.They might not be able to win by an innings as often as they otherwise would.

Verity wrote:whats the one punch laws in England that knockout punch had the potential to kill the victim the way he fell and hit his head on the road, very lucky it didn't do serious damage.. in Australia your looking at 10+ years jail now for a punch that kills someone, whats it in England?

Murder is life in prison. You can argue about intent etc however if there's a direct chain of causation between the punch and the death then the correct charge would be murder or involuntary manslaughter by unlawful act.

The announcement came shortly after Stokes had tweeted an apology for a separate incident, in which he apparently mocked the disabled son of British celebrity Katie Price, and with his involvement in the Ashes increasingly uncertain.

The announcement came shortly after Stokes had tweeted an apology for a separate incident, in which he apparently mocked the disabled son of British celebrity Katie Price, and with his involvement in the Ashes increasingly uncertain.

Going South wrote:I am a lefty and you can’t generalize all lefties. Stokes? come on.

Stokes is not Left Handed for starters, easiest way to tell if a Cricketer is Right or Left Handed is which arm do they bowl and throw with, not which way around they bat. Some players prefer the Strong hand at the top thats all. Broad, Ali and Anderson both bat Left handed but are Right handed people.

Going South wrote:I am a lefty and you can’t generalize all lefties. Stokes? come on.

Stokes is not Left Handed for starters, easiest way to tell if a Cricketer is Right or Left Handed is which arm do they bowl and throw with, not which way around they bat. Some players prefer the Strong hand at the top thats all. Broad, Ali and Anderson both bat Left handed but are Right handed people.

Not to mention those cleptomaniacs eh Chapelli?!

Law 31.6 - benefit of the doubt for an dismissal appeal goes to the batsmanA third umpire call for a run out or stumping is a referral, not a review.

Boycs wrote:The Sub reports that two people have now come forward to say that Stokes was defending them from a homophobic attack

Read it - at law it changes little as to whether it is a culpable assault (bar self defence includes defending another person), but may make Stokes very popular in the gay community.

Jurisdictions with hate crimes legislation (like some USA states) are going to have future questions of law if Stokes is found guilty based on these facts, similar incidents occur and more haters suffer for expressing their hate.

Okay - I was going to say batting side is not good evidence of ambidexterity, but writing certainly is. Tho I have heard of left handed kids being forced to learn to write right handed as left hand writing is far more like to smudge wet ink.

Do you have a stronger foot to kick a football with? Is it your left also?

Law 31.6 - benefit of the doubt for an dismissal appeal goes to the batsmanA third umpire call for a run out or stumping is a referral, not a review.

Paddles wrote:Okay - I was going to say batting side is not good evidence of ambidexterity, but writing certainly is. Tho I have heard of left handed kids being forced to learn to write right handed as left hand writing is far more like to smudge wet ink.

Do you have a stronger foot to kick a football with? Is it your left also?

I am good with both foot. Football runs in my genes as both father and grandfather were good footballers.

Stronger urge is to kick with right, but comfortable with left as well.

Amazing how many ex Cricketers have all of a sudden become Experts in British Law. The number that have come out and said he will tour is ridiculous. Unless they have acsess to the Officers involved in the case they are only guessing. Typical rumour mungering one starts a rumour and they all jump on the band wagon.